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WASHINGTON MEET

EU takes hard line on aid

Donors want to keep watch on militancy, corruption, HR issues

Inam Ahmed
The meeting of the donors in Washington got underway Wednesday with the European Union (EU) taking a tough stance, pressing donors to go for a hard line regarding aid because of Bangladesh government's failure to
tackle Islamic militants, sliding law and order, grenade attacks and violations of human rights.
The EU feels that the situation in Bangladesh is very precarious and that governance has failed due to the government's apathy to tackle the situation from electoral consider
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ations. According to the EU, such a situation calls for a review of aid strategy.
However, the World Bank (WB) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) took a softer stance and said Bangladesh has performed impressively in many social sectors and any hard decision like that the EU advocates would lead to a major setback.
The donors however agreed unanimously that the situation in Bangladesh has been deteriorating fast and felt concerned at the government's inaction in improving governance.
After threadbare deliberations in three sessions, the EU is learnt to have slightly budged from its hardline position. But so far, the donors have agreed that, although they would not take any stern decision about stopping aid to Bangladesh, they would mount pressure on the government to improve governance.
The donors also decided to keep watch on the government actions and attitudes towards the militants and to ask to put a stop to 'crossfire' deaths.
The donors also said similar meetings might be held every year, even in Dhaka next year.
Meantime, the government has asked Bangladesh's Alternate Director to the WB Dr Akbar Ali Khan not to attend the last session of the two-day meeting to which he had been invited.
Dhaka feels that since the government has not been invited, Dr Akbar needs not attend it.
However, the WB is learnt to have been displeased by the decision, as it considers Dr Akbar as a member of its staff and not an official of Bangladesh government.
The opening day of the two-day meet organised jointly by the EU, the WB and the US State Department had three sessions.
In the first session of the day, the donors identified the main challenges to governance in Bangladesh. The second session was to exchange their experience in and views about Bangladesh, and the third session to find out ways of helping the country in mitigating the challenges.
The donors again met yesterday morning to peter out a consensus on mitigating the challenges. However, details of yesterday's meeting could not be known as of filing of this report.